SHIPS TAKEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23489, 28 October 1939, Page 11

SHIPS TAKEN

BRITISH LOSSES OUTWEIGHED FIVE RECENT CAPTUBES DESTRUCTION OF U-BOAT GERMAN LAWLESSNESS By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received . October 27, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, Oct. 20 In his review of the week in the House of Commons to-day the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, said that U-boats-had been driven to operate further and further from their bases and from points where trade was bound to converge. The destruction of enemy submarines was proceeding at a sufficiently high rate to encourage the belief that the U-boat menace would eventually be overcome. Members would have seen that during the last few days the sinking of five British ships had been announced. One of these ships, the Stonegate, was sunk by the German raider Deutschland some time ago, but information of this loss had only just been received. Together these ships aggregated 22,715 tons. Vessel Scuttles Sell On the other hand a number of enemy ships had been arrested and brought in by blockading squadrons of the Royal Navy. These ships were the Phoebus (8863 tons), Gloria (5896 tons), Bianca (1375 tons), Poseidon (5864 tons) and Biscaya (6369 tons), totalling 28,867 tons. In addition to these the Conzeinheim (4564 tons) was intercepted, and scuttled herself to avoid capture. There had been, therefore —sifbject to the decision of the Prize Court —a loss to the enemy of some 33,000 tons, and a net gain to Britain of nearly 6000 tons. Coastal Command Achievements Having described successes in the defence of convoys, Mr. Chamberlain passed to the reconnaissance work of the coastal command units, which had been almost continuously at work. Among the successes during the week were the detection of mines in the path of convoys, which had saved ships from danger, and the sighting of seven U-boats. Of the U-boats sighted four were attacked, and there was good reason to believo that at least .one had been severely damaged. Another was destroyed by warships directed to the scene by aircraft. In a tributo to anti-aircraft gunners Mr. Chamberlain intimated that it was now known that in the raids on Rosyth and Scapa Flow they had brought down two German bombers and there was reason to think they had caused such damage to others as to prevent their reaching home. There had boon intensification of the TJ-boat campaign, but in spite of one or two strokes of good fortune the enemy had not been able to maintain the rate of sinking at first achieved. A featuro of the U-boat campaign to which Mr. Chamberlain said he must call attention was its growing lawlessness. It seemed now to have become (the rule for merchant ships to be sunk without warning. Deplorable Loss ol Life

Frequently passengers and crews had been turned adrift in small open boats on stormy seas, to suffer from cold and exposure. In the case of the Yorkshire there was a deplorable loss of life among the wives and children of soldiers returning home from the East. Another instance was the sinking of the French ship Bretagne, carrying a large number of women and children. This ship was torpedoed without warning ajul sunk miles from land by gunfire. Fourteen of those aboard were missing.

"No words are strong enough to express our detestation of this cowardly form of warfare," said the Prime Minister.

The Leader of the Labour Opposition, Mr. C. R. Attlee, endorsed Mr. Chamberlain's tributes to the Home defences and expressed pleasure at the results of the campaigns against Üboats.

WRECK OF U-BOAT

IOSS ON GOODWIN SANDS DUTCH FREIGHTER OVERDUE YORKSHIRE VICTIM FOUND (Received October 27, 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 27 The Admiralty announces that the shattered wreck of a German submarine has been discovered on the Goodwin Sands. No survivors have been found. A salvage crew and divers worked all day on the submarine. Part of the con-ning-tower is stated to be above the water. No explanation has been given as to how tho submarine got on the Goodwin Sands. Gunfire was heard off Deal two days ago. The Dutch motor-ship Tegri, bound for Amsterdam with a cargo of munitions, is a month overdue and is feared lost, it is reported from Amsterdam. A Copenhagen cablegram says a Swedish cargo vessel reports that there aro 20 foreign ships lying at Archangel unable to obtain clearances from the Soviet. The body of Mrs. A. 0. Barber, widow of one of the victims of the torpedoed Bibby liner Yorkshire, has been found washed up on the coast of England. A message received yesterday reported that Mrs. Barber was missing from the Channel steamer which brought the survivors to England. The motor-ship Tegri, of 297 tons, was built at Waterhuizen, Holland, in 1938 for T. Eeftingh. She was registered at Gasselternijveen.